This invention relates to a device for dispensing granular material, and in particular to a cattle feed dispenser.
The device of the present invention is primarily intended for use in combination with a round bale handler. However, the device can be used alone for dispensing grain or pellets to livestock.
With the introduction of round bales for winter feeding of livestock and the increasing popularity of round bale handlers, it has become feasible to winter cattle large distances from farmyards. However, the remote feeding of cattle presents the problems of requiring a bale handler and a second machine or apparatus for transporting grain or pellets to the livestock. Solutions to the problem include the use of pails, sacks, hoppers or open trucks, all of which are labour intensive, time consuming and wasteful of feed. In approaching the problem, the present inventor sought a dispenser which could be operated by a single operator.
Dispensers of generally the type described above are disclosed for example in Canadian Pat. Nos. 54,002, issued to S. Hardley on Nov. 9, 1986 56,554, issued to A.W. Steeves on July 8, 1987; 116,274, issued to S.W. Farnham et al on Jan. 26, 1909 and 162,611 issued to H.T. French on May 11, 1915, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 677,612, issued to A.L. Alexander on July 2, 1901; 986,018, issued to N.N. Libner on Mar. 7, 1911; 991,790, issued to S.M. Dampke on May 9, 1911; 1,925,809, issued to E.L. Masters on Sept. 5, 1933 and 3,152,732, issued to L.H. Schulman et al on Oct. 13, 1964. In general, the patented devices are too complicated or ill adapted to large scale dispensing of granular feed. Many of the devices are provided with small openings or perforations which would merely deposit small quantities of granular feed in a plurality of spaced apart areas.
The object of the present invention is to overcome the above problems by providing a relatively simple device for dispensing granular material, and in particular granular feed in large quantities at spaced apart locations during travel along the ground.